Reign Of The Dragon

About the Book

A saga of England’s first Empire – not in America, Africa or India, but in the lands of her nearest neighbour, France. After Henry V’s victory at Agincourt, England’s fifteen-year occupation of Paris began. It was an object lesson in Empire building – empire losing. England’s burning of Joan of Arc lost them their first overseas empire. Henry’s untimely death left the succession open. Into it stepped Henry’s widow, Queen Catherine of Valois, and her Welsh squire, Owen Tudor, bearer of the dragon of Wales. Out of his secret union came one of the most moving love stories in European history. The lovers, beset by murder, treason and betrayal on all sides, finally ushered in the Welsh line of kings, the Tudors, but at a terrible cost to themselves. The long reign of the dragon culminated in the glorious rule of the last of the family, the Welsh speaking Queen Elizabeth Tudor, patron of Shakespeare, hammer of the Spanish. The Dragon had traveled a long way.

About the Author

Dedwydd Jones, born Wales. Haverfordwest Grammar School, Latymer Upper School, London. Army, lieutenant, tank transporters, Berlin. Capt Berlin Army Rugby Team (his highest achievement!) London School of Economics, Warberg Institute of Classical Studies, London Univ. BA, Hist/Economics. Fellow in Drama, University of Wales, Cardiff. Old guard Welsh Nationalist. Early member Welsh Republican Movement. Various grants, Arts Council of GB/Wales. Actor/writer BBC TV Wales. Over 25 plays produced, Mermaid, Vaudeville Theatres, London; New Theatre, Cardiff, Edinburgh Festival, Cambridge, etc. Poetry, various mags. Travelled Europe, teacher, woodman, gardener. Lived Switzerland 14 years. Editor 2plus2, International Lit Review. Plays for Swiss radio. Returned to UK, 1993. Taught EFL Bedford School. Theatre journalist for The Stage and Television Today, London. First novel The Lily and the Dragon published 2003. The Raven Man (based on the life of Edgar Allan Poe) his second novel, published by AuthorHouse, Autumn 2005.  His first volume of short stories Armed and Ridiculous (AuthorHouse) published Winter 2005. Four Plays from Wales to be published early 2006. Now working on his next volume of short stories. Lives in Bedford, UK. Three lovely daughters. Member Society of Authors, UK. Dramatists’ Guild of America.

www:dedwyddjones.co.uk